In a small village in Tanzania, Africa, Mamba gets up
very early in the morning to fetch water. She has to walk
a long way and returns after a few hours. She then helps
her mother in the house and joins her brothers in taking
care of their goats. All her family owns is a piece of rocky
land around their small hut. Mamba’s father can barely
grow some maize and beans on it after toiling hard. This
is not enough to feed their family for the whole year.
Peter lives in the heart of the sheep rearing region in
New Zealand where his family runs a wool processing
factory. Everyday when he returns from school, Peter
watches his uncle taking care of their sheep. Their sheep
yard is situated on a wide grassy plain with hills in the
far distance. It is managed in a scientific way using the
latest technology. Peter’s family also grows vegetables
through organic farming.
Mamba and Peter stay in two different parts of the
world and lead very different lives. This difference is
because of the differences in the quality of land, soil,
water, natural vegetation, animals and the usage of
technology. The availability of such resources is the
main reason places differ from each other.
Land
Land is among the most important natural resources.
It covers only about thirty per cent of the total area of
the earth’s surface and all parts of this small percentage
are not habitable.
The uneven distribution of population in different
parts of the world is mainly due to varied characteristics
of land and climate. The rugged topography, steep slopes
of the mountains, low-lying areas susceptible to water
Let’s do
Observe the land,
type of soil and
water availability
in the region you
live. Discuss in
your class, how it
has influenced the
lifestyle of people
there.
Do you know?
Ninety per cent
of the world
population
occupies only
thirty per cent of
land area. The
remaining seventy
per cent of the
land is either
sparsely populated
or uninhabited.
Land, Soil, Water,
Natural Vegetation
and Wildlife Resources
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8 ResouRces and development
logging, desert areas, thick
forested areas are normally
sparsely populated or
uninhabited. Plains and river
valleys offer suitable land for
agriculture. Hence, these are
the densely populated areas
of the world.
Land Use
Land is used for different
purposes such as agriculture,
forestry, mining, building
houses, roads and setting up
of industries. This is commonly termed as Land use.
Can you list out the different ways in which Mamba’s
and Peter’s family use their land?
The use of land is determined by physical factors
such as topography, soil, climate, minerals and
availability of water. Human factors such as population
and technology are also important determinants of land
use pattern.
Land can also be classified on the basis of ownership
as – private land and community land. Private land
is owned by individuals whereas, community land
is owned by the community for common uses like
collection of fodder, fruits, nuts or medicinal herbs.
These community lands are also called common
property resources.
People and their demands are ever growing but the
availability of land is limited. The quality of land also
differs from place to place. People started encroaching
the common lands to build up commercial areas,
housing complexes in the urban areas and to expand
the agricultural land in the rural areas. Today the
vast changes in the land use pattern also reflect the
cultural changes in our society. Land degradation,
landslides, soil erosion, desertification are the major
threats to the environment because of the expansion
of agriculture and construction activities.
Fig. 2.1: Salzburg in Austria
Notice in how many ways the land has been used in the
above picture.
Let’s do
Talk to some
elderly person
in your family or
neighbourhood and
collect information
about changes
in the land use
over the years, in
the place where
you live. Display
your findings on a
bulletin board in
your classroom.
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9
Conservation of Land resoUrCe
Growing population and their ever growing demand has
led to a large scale destruction of forest cover and arable
land and has created a fear of losing this natural resource.
Therefore, the present rate of degradation of land must
be checked. Afforestation, land reclamation, regulated
use of chemical pesticide and fertilisers and checks on
overgrazing are some of the common methods used to
conserve land resources.
soiL
The thin layer of grainy substance covering the surface
of the earth is called soil. It is closely linked to land.
Landforms determine the type of soil. Soil is made
up of organic matter, minerals and weathered rocks
found on the earth. This happens through the process
of weathering. The right mix of minerals and organic
matter make the soil fertile.
Fig. 2.2: Change in land use over time
1.
2.
3. 4.
Glossary
Weathering
The breaking
up and decay of
exposed rocks,
by temperature
changes, frost
action, plants,
animals and
human activity.
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10 ResouRces and development
Landslides
Landslides are simply defined as the mass movement
of rock, debris or earth down a slope. They often take
place in conjunction with earthquakes, floods and
volcanoes. A prolonged spell of rainfall can cause
heavy landslide that can block the flow of river for
quite some time. The formation of river blocks can
cause havoc to the settlements downstream on its
bursting. In the hilly terrain landslides have been a
major and widely spread natural disaster that often
strike life and property and occupy a position of major
concern.
A Case Study
A massive landslide hit Pangi village near Reckong Peo in Kinnaur district of
Himachal Pradesh and damaged a 200-meter stretch of old Hindustan-Tibet
road, National Highway - 22. This landslide was triggered by intense blasting
at Pangi village. Due to the blasting this weak zone of slope collapsed and
caused intense damage to the road and nearby villages. The Pangi village was
completely vacated to avoid any possible loss of life.
Mitigation Mechanism
Advancement in scientific techniques has empowered us to understand what
factors cause landslides and how to manage them. Some broad mitigation
techniques of landslide are as follows:
• Hazard mapping to locate areas prone to
landslides. Hence, such areas can be avoided
for building settlements.
•
Construction of retention wall to stop land from
slipping.
• Increase in the vegetation cover to arrest
landslide.
• Thesurfacedrainagecontrol
works to control
the movement of landslide along with rain water
and spring flows.
A Landslide
Retention Wall
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11
Do you know?
It takes hundreds
of years to make
just one centimetre
of soil.
Fig. 2.4: Factors affecting soil formation
Climate
Temperature,
Rainfall influence
rate of weathering
and humus
formation
Time
Determines thickness
of soil profile
Soil
Flora, Fauna and
Micro-organism
Affect the rate of humus
formation
Relief
Altitude and
slope, determine
accumulation
of soil
Parent Rock
Determines colour,
texture, chemical
properties
mineral, content,
permeability
Fig. 2.3: Soil Profile
Top soil with humus and
vegetation
Sub soil with sand, silt and
clay
Weathered rock material
Parent rock
faCtors of soiL formation
The major factors of soil formation are the nature of
the parent rock and climatic factors. Other factors are
the topography, role of organic material and time taken
for the composition of soil formation. All these differ
from place to place.
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12 ResouRces and development
degradation of soiL and Conservation
measUres
Soil erosion and depletion are the major threats to soil
as a resource. Both human and natural factors can
lead to degradation of soils. Factors which lead to soil
degradation are deforestation, overgrazing, overuse of
chemical feritilisers or pesticides, rain wash, landslides
and floods.
Some methods of soil conservation are listed below:
Mulching: The bare ground between plants is covered
with a layer of organic matter like straw. It helps to
retain soil moisture.
Contour barriers: Stones, grass, soil are used to build
barriers along contours. Trenches are made in front of
the barriers to collect water.
Rock dam: Rocks are piled up to slow down the flow of
water. This prevents gullies and further soil loss.
Fig 2.6: Contour Ploughing
Activity
In India soils
could be alluvial,
black, red, laterite,
desertic and
mountain soil.
Collect a handful
of different
types of soil and
observe. How are
they different?
Terrace farming: Broad flat steps or terraces are
made on the steep slopes so that flat surfaces are
available to grow crops. They reduce surface run-
off and soil erosion (Fig. 2.5).
Intercropping: Different crops are grown in alternate
rows and are sown at different times to protect the
soil from rain wash.
Contour ploughing: Ploughing parallel to the
contours of a hill slope to form a natural barrier
for water to flow down the slope (Fig. 2.6).
Shelter belts: In the coastal and dry regions, rows
of trees are planted to check the wind movement to
protect soil cover (Fig. 2.7).
Fig 2.5: Terrace Farming
Fig 2.7: Shelter Belts
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13
Water
Water is a vital renewable natural resource. Three-
fourth’s of the earth’s surface is covered with water.
It is therefore appropriately called the ‘water planet’.
It was in the primitive oceans that life began almost
3.5 billion years back. Even today, the oceans cover
two-thirds of the earth’s surface and support a rich
variety of plant and animal life. The ocean water is
however saline and not fit for human consumption.
Fresh water accounts for only about 2.7 per cent. Nearly
70 per cent of this occurs as ice sheets and glaciers in
Antarctica, Greenland and mountain regions. Due to
their location they are inaccessible. Only 1 per cent of
freshwater is available and fit for human use. It is found
as ground water, as surface water in rivers and lakes
and as water vapour in the atmosphere.
Fresh water is therefore, the most precious substance
on earth. Water can neither be added nor subtracted
from the earth. Its total volume remains constant.
Its abundance only seems to vary because it is in
constant motion, cycling through the oceans, the
air, the land and back again, through the processes
of evaporation, precipitation and run-off. This as
you already know is referred to as the ‘water cycle’.
Do you know?
In 1975, the
consumption of
water for human
use was 3850cu
km/year. It soared
to more than 6000
cu km/year in the
year 2000.
Activity
Take two trays A and B of same
size. Make six holes at one end
of these trays and then fill them
with the same amount of soil.
Leave the soil in tray A bare while
sow wheat or rice grains in tray
B. When the grain in tray B has
grown a few centimetres high,
place both the trays in such a
way that they are on a slope.
Pour one mug of water from
the same height into each tray.
Collect the muddy water that
trickles down the holes of both
trays in two separate containers
and compare how much soil
is washed out of each tray?
Do you know?
A dripping tap
wastes1200
litres of water in
a year.
A B
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14 ResouRces and development
Humans use huge amounts of water not only for
drinking and washing but also in the process of
production. Water for agriculture, industries,
generating electricity
through reservoirs of
dams are the other
usages. Increasing
population, rising
demands for food and
cash crops, increasing
urbanisation and rising
standards of living
are the major factors
leading to shortages in
supply of fresh water
either due to drying
up of water sources or
water pollution.
ProbLems of Water avaiLabiLity
There is scarcity of water in many regions of the world.
Most of Africa, West Asia, South Asia, parts of western
USA, north-west Mexico, parts of South America and
entire Australia are facing shortages in fresh water supply.
Countries located in climatic zones most susceptible to
droughts face great problems of water scarcity. Thus,
water shortage may be a consequence of variation in
seasonal or annual precipitation or the scarcity is caused
by over-exploitation and contamination of water sources.
Conservation of Water
resoUrCes
Access to clean and adequate water
sources is a major problem facing the
world today. Steps have to be taken to
conserve this dwindling resource. Even
though water is a renewable resource, its
overuse and pollution make it unfit for
use. Discharge of untreated or partially
treated sewage, agricultural chemicals
and industrial effluents in water bodies
are major contaminants. They pollute
water with nitrates, metals and pesticides.
Do you know?
Have you ever
heard about a water
market? Amreli
city in Saurastra
region with a
population of 1.25
lakhs is completely
dependent on
purchasing water
from the nearby
talukas.
Activity
An average urban Indian uses about 150 litres
of water every day.
Use Litres per person per day
Drinking 3
Cooking 4
Bathing 20
Flushing 40
Washing clothes 40
Washing utensils 20
Gardening 23
Total 150
Can you suggest some ways to bring down this amount?
Fig 2.8: River Yamuna is getting polluted due
to sewage, industrial effluents and garbage
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Most of these chemicals are non-biodegradable and
reach human bodies through water. Water pollution can
be controlled by treating these effluents suitably before
releasing them in water bodies.
Forest and other vegetation cover slow the
surface runoff and replenish underground
water. Water harvesting is another method
to save surface runoff. The canals used
for irrigating field should be properly
lined to minimise losses by water seepage.
Sprinklers effectively irrigate the area by
checking water losses through seepage and
evaporation. In dry regions with high rates
of evaporation, drip or trickle irrigation is
very useful. The valuable water resource
can therefore be conserved by adopting
these means of irrigation.
natUraL vegetation and WiLdLife
Some school children were visiting an exhibition on
handicrafts. The articles in the exhibition were collected
from different parts of the country. Mona picked up a bag
and exclaimed, “This is a beautiful handbag!” “Yes, it
is made from Jute,” the teacher said. “Do you see those
baskets, lamp shades and chairs? Those are made of
canes and bamboos. In the eastern and north eastern
humid regions of India, bamboo grows in plenty.” Jassy
was excited to see a silk scarf. “See this beautiful
scarf”. The teacher explained that silk is obtained from
silk worms that are bred on Mulberry trees. The children
understood that plants provide us with many different
products that we use in our day-to-day life.
Natural vegetation and wildlife exist only
in the narrow zone of contact between the
lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere
that we call biosphere. In the biosphere living
beings are inter-related and interdependent
on each other for survival. This life supporting
system is known as the ecosystem. Vegetation
and wildlife are valuable resources. Plants
provide us with timber, give shelter to animals,
produce oxygen we breathe, protects soils so
Do you know?
Rain water
harvesting is
the process of
collecting rain
water from roof
tops and directing
it to an appropriate
location where
it is stored for
future use. On an
average, one spell
of rain for two
hours is enough to
save 8,000 litres of
water.
Fig 2.10: Silk Worms
Fig 2.9: A Water Sprinkler
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16 ResouRces and development
essential for growing crops,
act as shelter belts, help
in storage of underground
water, give us fruits, nuts,
latex, turpentine oil, gum,
medicinal plants and also
the paper that is so essential
for your studies. There are
innumerable uses of plants
and you can add some more.
Wildlife includes animals,
birds, insects as well as the
aquatic life forms. They provide
us milk, meat, hides and wool.
Insects like bees provide us
honey, help in pollination of
flowers and have an important
role to play as decomposers
in the ecosystem. The birds
feed on insects and act as
decomposers as well. Vulture
due to its ability to feed on dead
livestock is a scavenger and
considered a vital cleanser of
the environment. So animals
big or small, all are integral
to maintaining balance in
the ecosystem.
distribUtion of natUraL vegetation
The growth of vegetation depends primarily on
temperature and moisture. The major vegetation
types of the world are grouped as forests,
grasslands, scrubs and tundra.
In areas of heavy rainfall, huge trees
may thrive. The forests are thus associated
with areas having abundant water supply.
As the amount of moisture decreases the
size of trees and their density reduces.
Short stunted trees and grasses grow in
the regions of moderate rainfall forming the
grasslands of the world. Thorny shrubs and
Do you know?
Vultures in
the Indian
subcontinent were
dying of kidney
failure shortly
after scavenging
livestock treated
with diclofenac, a
painkiller that is
similar to aspirin
or ibuprofen.
Efforts are on to
ban the drug for
livestock use and
breed vultures in
captivity.
Fig 2.11: Brahma Kamal
a Medicinal Herb
Fig 2.12: A Blue Kingfisher
Fig. 2.13: Grassland and Forest
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scrubs grow in dry areas of low rainfall.
In such areas plants have deep roots and
leaves with thorny and waxy surface
reduce loss of moisture through
transpiration. Tundra vegetation of
cold Polar Regions comprise of mosses
and lichens.
Today there are many more people in
the world than there were two centuries
back. To feed the growing numbers,
large areas of forests have been cleared
to grow crops. Forest cover all over the
world is vanishing rapidly. There
is an urgent need to conserve
this valuable resource.
Conservation of natUraL
vegetation and WiLdLife
Forests are our wealth. Plants
give shelter to the animals and
together they maintain the
ecosystem. Changes of climate
and human interferences can
cause the loss of natural habitats
for the plants and animals. Many
species have become vulnerable
or endangered and some are
on the verge of extinction. Deforestation,
soil erosion, constructional activities, forest
fires, tsunami and landslides are some of the
human and natural factors which accelerate
the process of extinction of these resources.
One of the major concerns is the poaching
which result in a sharp decline in the number
of particular species. The animals are poached
for collection and illegal trade of hides, skins,
nails, teeth, horns as well as feathers. Some
of these animals are tiger, lion, elephant,
deer, black buck, crocodile, rhinoceros, snow
Fig. 2.14: A Python in a forest
Fig. 2.15: A collage of a forest made by school students
Fig. 2.16: Loss of rainforest in
Great Nicobar after Tsunami
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18 ResouRces and development
leopard, ostrich and peacock. These can be
conserved by increasing awareness.
National parks, wildlife sanctuaries,
biosphere reserves are made to protect our
natural vegetation and wildlife. Conservation
of creeks, lakes, and wetlands is necessary to
save the precious resource from depletion
There is a balance in the environment
if the relative number of species is not
disturbed. Human activities in several parts
of the world have disturbed the
natural
Fig. 2.17: Black buck also needs protection
Forest Fire
Activity
Read the news item and find out how fire started in California ? Could it be avoided?
Know More
Forest fire is a threat to the entire region of fauna and flora. It occurs mainly due to
three reasons :
1. Natural fire due to lightening etc.
2. Fire due to heat generated in the litter due to carelessness of people.
3. Fire purposely caused by local inhabitants, mischief makers, miscreants etc.
Some Control Measures
1. Prevention of fires through education.
2. Prompt detection of fires through well co-ordinated network of observation points,
efficient ground patroling and communication network.
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Glossary
Biosphere reserves
Series of protected
areas linked
through a global
network, intended
to demonstrate
the relationship
between
conservation and
development.
Glossary
National Park
A natural area
designated to
protect the
ecological integrity
of one or more
ecosystems for the
present and the
future generations
Do you know?
CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between
governments. It aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of
wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Roughly 5,000
species of animals and 28,000 species of plants are protected. Bears,
dolphins, cacti, corals, orchids and aloes are some examples.
habitats of many species. Due to indiscriminate killings,
several birds and animals have either become extinct or
are on the verge of extinction.
Awareness programmes like social forestry and
Vanamohatasava should be encouraged at the regional
and community level. School children should be
encouraged to bird watch and visit nature camps so
that they appreciate the habitat of varied species.
Many countries have passed laws against the trade
as well as killing of birds and animals. In India, killing
lions, tigers, deers, great Indian bustards and peacocks
is illegal.
An international convention CITES has
been established that lists several species
of animals and birds in which trade is
prohibited. Conservation of plants and
animals is an ethical duty of every citizen.
Fig. 2:18: A Herd of Cheetals
Fig. 2:19: A herd of Elephants in Kaziranga
National Park
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